Bavaria, one of the oldest and largest of the German states, is the birthplace of the Schrägel family. After the 12th century, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules. Names derived from occupations were particularly common in this region. Schrägel is an occupational surname for person who was associated with the building of cross-legged stands and tables. In its medieval context, the word "schrage" literally meant "crooked" or "crossed," and it may have been given to those whose profession it was to make and sell tables and stands of this description.

Schrägel Early Origins

The surname Schrägel was first found in Bavaria, where the family rose to prominence early in the mediaeval era. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation. Individual bearers of this name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include Egelolf Schrage of Wuerttemberg (c.1273,) Marquard Schrage of Luebeck (c.1347,) and one "Schraeglin" of Esslingen (c.1359).

Schrägel Spelling Variations

Schrägel Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Schrägel include Schrage, Schragel, Schrag, Schrager, Schrege, Schregel, Schraegl, Schreg, Schreger, Schraege, Schraegel, Schraeg, Schraeger, Schragl, Schragle, Schregl, Schregle, Schraeglin, Schreglin, Schraegen, Schregen and many more.

Schrägel Early History

Schrägel Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Schrägel research. Another 439 words (31 lines of text) covering the years 1777, 1791, 1806, 1797, 1815 and 1874 are included under the topic Early Schrägel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schrägel Early Notables (pre 1700)

Schrägel Early Notables (pre 1700)

Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Schrägel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Schrägel or a variant listed above: Johan Schrage, who settled in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1693 and Johannes Schrag, who came to Pennsylvania in 1766. A large group of interrelated Swiss Mennonite families, including Andreas, Froni, Franz, and Jacob Schrag came from Russia to the port of New York in 1874. Andreas Schrager emigrated to England and then possibly America in 1709.

The Schrägel Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Schrägel Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.